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hannahmarieereads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A great romance. I really enjoyed the audio experience - that narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life. I really loved Kiki and Malakai as MCs and the side characters were great too. I didn't love all of the pop culture references (a few are fine but there were a lot in this book) and I also thought the one inclusion of a side plot was unnecessary I understand the need to include her highschool BBF to explain a lot of Kiki's trauma and why she is so hesitant to make new friends but I don't think we needed to randomly bring said friend back into the story at a romance book convention of all places - this felt awkward and didn't do much to further the plot for me
I am very interested to read Love In Color and look forward to whatever else Bolu Babalola writes next!
I am very interested to read Love In Color and look forward to whatever else Bolu Babalola writes next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
dylan_tomorrow's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Medical content, Racial slurs, Classism, Abandonment, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Misogyny
Minor: Violence and Bullying
daenerystargaryen's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Racism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Cancer, and Mental illness
carseatwarmers's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the audiobook is top tier! anyway we need to abolish the third act breakup 😫 that setup was so weird but i’m a sucker for grand gestures so i’ll try to let it slide 😇
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Police brutality, Infidelity, Cancer, Hate crime, and Medical trauma
katryna_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
catlandia91's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So as a general disclaimer, I don't really consider myself a romance reader. I love love, but I generally prefer it to be an addendum to a story, a plot point, rather than the whole point. But I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and I must say, I'm glad I picked this one.
The beginning was a little rough for me, the clique-heavy nature of the campus was frustrating. The conflict between social groups felt so immature. It felt more like high school than college, and none of my school experiences remotely matched that, either. The social conflicts help drive much of the plot, which didn't always land for me, but I didn't mind much by the end.
Once I got through the setup drama, I was really hooked by Kiki and Kai's chemistry. I also thought their personal hangups felt pretty relatable, but I wanted to scream in Kiki's ear to stop lying to herself (in a good way, I was getting invested in their relationship). I definitely felt all warm and fuzzy by the end, and I maybe teared up a little. And when it finally happened, the spice was spicy, gat damn!
I also loved the female friendships throughout the book, I had a lot of fun when Aminah and the others were on the page.
The pop culture references felt a little heavy handed in some parts, mostly in Kiki's internal dialogue. They felt more natural in the conversations with Kai or her friends, where they helped give us a sense of everyone's personalities.
The cultural references were also a nice touch-- this felt distinctly British, Nigerian, and Black in a way that was effortless and engaging. If you want a romance with Black joy, I think this would definitely fit the bill.
Overall, this was a fun one, even if I felt a little like a cranky old person dealing with teen problems in the beginning.
The beginning was a little rough for me, the clique-heavy nature of the campus was frustrating. The conflict between social groups felt so immature. It felt more like high school than college, and none of my school experiences remotely matched that, either. The social conflicts help drive much of the plot, which didn't always land for me, but I didn't mind much by the end.
Once I got through the setup drama, I was really hooked by Kiki and Kai's chemistry. I also thought their personal hangups felt pretty relatable, but I wanted to scream in Kiki's ear to stop lying to herself (in a good way, I was getting invested in their relationship). I definitely felt all warm and fuzzy by the end, and I maybe teared up a little. And when it finally happened, the spice was spicy, gat damn!
I also loved the female friendships throughout the book, I had a lot of fun when Aminah and the others were on the page.
The pop culture references felt a little heavy handed in some parts, mostly in Kiki's internal dialogue. They felt more natural in the conversations with Kai or her friends, where they helped give us a sense of everyone's personalities.
The cultural references were also a nice touch-- this felt distinctly British, Nigerian, and Black in a way that was effortless and engaging. If you want a romance with Black joy, I think this would definitely fit the bill.
Overall, this was a fun one, even if I felt a little like a cranky old person dealing with teen problems in the beginning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Racism
Minor: Cancer
foreverbooked15's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Police brutality
umsriracha's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Honey and Spice quickly jumped to my top 3 reads. The rhythm of the book is captivating. It’s clear that the author is insanely well-spoken and versed in literature. The way Bolu Babalola writes is honestly inspiring. After reading this book I want to download a word of the day app and really step my vocab game up. While advanced, her writing is not convoluted in any way. Babalola writes like… jazz. That’s the only way to describe it, honestly. It’s like music, at least to me. Anyway! Speaking of inspiring, Kiki Banjo is the perfect main character. She’s not without flaws but she is extremely intelligent, beautiful, and witty in a way that transcends the page. As a black girl myself, having a character like Kiki is touching, much appreciated, and way past due. Now, the romance in so few words: the progression is seamless and I’ll just leave it at this.. he read her favorite books. swoon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
Minor: Racism
jeimy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual assault
stellarkai's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment